


A Helping Hand

by JDKoopa



Series: Elincia Week [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Cooking, Elincia Week, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29301135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JDKoopa/pseuds/JDKoopa
Summary: Elincia aids Oscar in the kitchen in an attempt to repay her debt to the Greil Mercenaries.
Series: Elincia Week [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2150385
Kudos: 6





	A Helping Hand

**Author's Note:**

> Elincia Week day 2! Theme for today was cooking/sewing so I went with cooking for some early interaction between Elincia and Oscar, ft. a guest appearance from Ilyana of course.

“Sir Oscar, is there anything I can do to help?” Elincia asked as she entered the kitchen. She had been rescued by the Greil Mercenaries several weeks ago, and she still felt she owed them such a great debt. 

“Oh, lady Elincia. There’s no need to trouble yourself, I’m simply preparing tonight’s meal. You can continue to rest if you would like, all this travel must be exhausting for someone like yourself who isn’t used to it.” Oscar said, smiling politely. 

Elincia resisted the urge to pout. “My lord, please. You all have been so kind to me. If I can’t aid you on the battlefield, I can at least help prepare meals.” 

“Princess, please. I know you want to help, but you don’t need to force yourself. And please,” Oscar set down the large pot he was carrying and turned to face Elincia. “You’re my employer, and I’m simply a commoner. Just call me Oscar.”

“Very well then, Oscar. As your employer, I insist you allow me to help you prepare tonight’s meal.” Elincia smiled. She didn’t like to insist on anything usually, but she decided this was a good time to make an exception. “If I get in the way tonight then you don’t have to let me help in the future. Just please, give me a chance. I want to help.”

Oscar sighed, then put his hands up in defeat. “Alright, my lady. You win. But, if you’re going to help me in the kitchen, I’m not going to go easy on you. Remember, you asked for this.”

Elincia clasped her hands together in excitement. “Thank you. I’ll do my very best to keep up. What would you like me to start with?”

“Well, I was about to prepare the vegetables for tonight’s soup. So, I need you to rinse and peel the carrots and onions, and then report back to me so I can check your work.” Oscar handed Elincia an apron. He didn’t say it, but Elincia got the feeling he was thankful for her help.

For a few minutes, they worked in silence. Elincia was used to cooking with others, but it seemed like Oscar normally worked alone. She didn’t want to throw off his routine any more than she had by insisting to help. She was about to bring her peeled vegetables to him when she heard his voice directly behind her.

“Excellent work. Now, I need you to cut them for me. I’ll start, that way you can just make them the same size as the ones I cut.” Oscar grabbed a knife from the rack, then began cutting the vegetables. Elincia was so caught up in his smooth, fast movements that she almost didn’t notice he was still talking. “You seem pretty comfortable here, much more than many in our group. If I may, who taught you how to cook?”

“Oh, my mother did. Rather, the woman who raised me, not the queen.” Elincia quickly corrected herself. “She taught me all manner of things from cooking to sewing, cleaning, and even a small bit of gardening, though I must admit only a few of my flowers ever bloomed.” 

“I see.” Oscar said. He smiled warmly. “She has taught you well. I asked Ike to help me cook just two months ago, and he… well he’s not allowed in my kitchen anymore.” They both laughed as Oscar finished cutting the first carrot and grabbed an onion to work on. He handed Elincia the knife he had been using and reached for a new one for himself.

“You must have had a teacher yourself to work as quickly as you do. Was your mother or father a cook?” Elincia asked as she began cutting the rest of the carrots. 

“My mother…” Oscar trailed off, and Elincia was surprised to hear sadness in his voice. Oscar had smiled more than anyone since the mercenaries had saved her, and she felt bad that she must have brought up a sore subject. “No, I’m self taught.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Elincia started, but Oscar interrupted her apology.

“Don’t worry, you didn’t do anything.” Oscar said, cutting into the first onion. “My mother was kind, but unfortunately we lost her not long after Boyd was born, and Rolf’s mother was hardly around at all. When my father died, I learned how to cook so I could take care of Boyd and Rolf.”

“That’s awful. I’m so sorry.” Elincia couldn’t imagine life without her parents, let alone raising two brothers in their stead. “You truly are a great man, Oscar.”

Oscar chuckled. “There’s no need for flattery, princess. I only did what I had to do. Did you know I was a knight before that? My father always told me he was so proud that his oldest son was a Crimean Knight. I used to get so embarrassed when he’d brag about me to the neighbors.”

“Truly? I had no idea. Becoming a knight is no small feat.” Elincia said, impressed at Oscar’s past. She knew he was a good fighter, but she didn’t know much else about him. “What made you leave the knights, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Oscar smiled, but Elincia could see pain in his eyes. “When my father passed, I needed to take care of my brothers. I couldn’t juggle that with being a knight, so I withdrew from service and worked wherever I could to make enough money for the three of us. Honestly, if it weren’t for Greil taking us in, I don’t know what would have happened.”

Before Elincia could respond, she heard someone open the tent flap behind her. “I’m sooooo hungry.” She turned to see Ilyana holding her stomach and looking around the kitchen. “Is the food ready yet?”

“Supper isn’t ready yet, Ilyana. Soon though.” Oscar said. His voice was gentle, but firm. He tossed her an apple from the table behind him. “It’s not much, but you can eat this while you wait.”

Illyana caught the apple and smiled, eyeing it hungrily. “Thanks Oscar. You’re a good guy.”

Without another word, Ilyana left the tent. Oscar chuckled. “Sorry about that. She comes in almost every time I’m cooking, so I’ve gotten used to her, but her appetite can be quite surprising.”

Elincia was silent for several seconds, then spoke without turning to face Oscar. “As the princess maybe this isn’t my place, but I think it was very noble of you to choose your family over yourself. Your brothers must be proud of the man you are, and I’m sure your father is still bragging about you.”

Oscar smiled, then nodded. “Thank you. You may be right about that.” After a few moments, he spoke again. “Come to think of it, you may actually know someone I trained with. Kieran, the red-haired knight from your guard? He and I used to train together back when I was a knight. I haven’t talked to him since I left, though.”

“Well, that’s inexcusable!” Elincia said, startling Oscar. “I shall have to arrange a meeting soon.”

“Oh, my lady, please. There’s no need to-” Oscar’s words caught in his throat when Elincia turned to face him.

“Tomorrow, I want you to come see me. I’ll make sure he’s there so you can say hello.” Elincia waited for Oscar to nod his approval, then she turned and finished cutting the carrots. She was about to ask for the onions when she realized Oscar had already cut them all. 

When Oscar realized what Elincia was looking at, he shrugged. “The rest of the ingredients are already in the pot, so all that’s left is the vegetables and some spices. I’ll take care of finishing up here, so would you mind gathering everyone for supper?” Oscar scooped the vegetables into a bowl and started walking toward the pot he had been carrying earlier.

“I’m sorry.” Elincia bowed as she apologized. “I got so caught up talking I must have been no help at all tonight.”

“Nonsense.” Oscar smiled at Elincia over his shoulder. “Cooking with someone else here was much better than cooking alone. If you don’t think you contributed enough, then you’ll just have to do more tomorrow.”

Elincia smiled back at Oscar. “Understood. Thank you, Oscar.”

“Of course. Now move along, you still have your final job of the night to finish.” After a second, Oscar added, “Maybe you should start with Ilyana. That apple won’t hold her back for very long.”


End file.
